Vessel.



PATENTED JULY 23, 1907,

R. H. LITTLE.

' VESSEL. APPLICATION rum) SEPT. e, 1905.

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av /M r: NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, o. c.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT 11. LITTLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VESSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed September 9,1905. Serial No- 277,763-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. LITTLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vessels, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to vessels having displaceable covers, and has forits object the provision of an improved structure of the class describedwherebythe cover may be readily held upon the vessel.

The invention is of particular utility in connection with kitchenutensils though it need not be limited to this class of receptacles, forit enables the cover to be securely fastened in position so that thevessel may be tilted to permit fluid contained therein to be poured offwhile the solid contents of the vessel are retained.

In practicing my invention, I provide a cover that is expansible andcontractible in size and a self-setting device for determining thecontracted and expanded conditions of the cover. The cover is desirably,though not necessarily, provided with a substantially continuous rim orflange which preferably surrounds the rim of the vessel, which coverrim, by reason of the variability in size of the cover, is adapted toclench the vessel to hold the vessel and cover securely together for thepurposes specified.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, showing the preferred embodiment thereof, in which Figure 1 isa side elevation of the preferred form of the invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view showing the adjusting device in aposition permitting the expansion of the cover. Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe structure shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe different figures.

The vessel a is shown in the form of a stew pan, though it is obviousthat the invention is not restricted to this type of vessel. The vesselin this instance is provided with a handle b and a spout or mouth 0 andalso preferably, though not necessarily, has a bead (1 upon its exteriorat the rim to promote the effectiveness of the engagement between thecover and the vessel. The cover isprovided with a flange e, con formingin shape to the bead, this flange being preferably discontinued at f toaccommodate the handle and at g to permit the ready flow of liquid fromthe vessel. The cover in the form shown, is circular and is slit at hfrom the center to the rim in a radial direction. A self-setting devicecooperates with the portions of the cover that are separated by theslit, so that these portions of the cover may overlap or may recede tofasten the cover in position upon the vessel and to release it from itslocking engagement with the vessel. I have shown one form ofself-setting device comprising a stationary loop 1' on one side of theslit, a rotating lever is on the other side of the slit, and a metallicband or connecting link 1 engaging the loop and lever, the place ofconnection of the band or link with the lever being eccentric to theaxis of rotation of the lever, so that as the lever is swung, theportions of the cover parted by the slit may move toward and from eachother. In the construction shown the resiliency of the cover causesthese portions thereof to separate when the lever is thrown toward theloop, the lever when tlnown away from the loop causing a contraction ofthe cover.

It will be seen that when the cover is contracted, the locking actionthereof upon the rim of the vessel is substantially uniform throughoutsaid rim, so that the vessel is not likelyto be thrown out of shape asit might otherwise be were the vessel made of somewhat soft material, asaluminium. The invention need not be limited to this substantiallycontinuous engagement of the cover with the rim of the vessel,particularly where the vessel is made of rigid material.

I preferably, though not necessarily, provide a series of perforations min the cover so that the liquid may be poured therethrough the morereadily while the solids are retained. This perforated portion of thecover acts as a strainer. In order that the vapors within the vessel maylargely be retained, a perforated slide 11. is mounted above theperforations m, the perforations in the slide being adapted to overliethe perforations in the cover when the liquid is to be removed, whilethe solid portions of the slide are adapted to overlie the perforationsto prevent material egress of the vapors.

By the expression self-setting device as used herein I mean a devicewhich, when brought to its different alternative positions, will affordthe expansion and contraction of the lid inherently, whereby the use ofclamping screws, etc. is not required.

In the construction shown in United States Patent No. 267 ,345, issuedto Hayden and Arnold November 14, 1882, a slit cover is shownfbut it isapparent from an inspection of the drawings of this patent that thecover has no such self-setting device that will readily enable the coverto be expanded and contracted while in place.

I do not wish to be limited to the precise features herein shown, but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters-Patent:

device and when in one position forcing said cover to change its size,and when in another position permitting the cover to assume its othersize.

2 The combination with a vessel, of its cover having a slit whereby thesize of the cover may be changed, a device for varying the size of thecoverto lockingly engage it with the vessel, and a handle, constitutinga lever, acting upon said device, which said device has permanentconnection, with the cover on both sides of the slit, said handle whenin one position causing said device to impart one size to 10 the cover,and in an alternative position to permit said cover to assume anothersize.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this seventh day ofSeptember A. D., 1905.

ROBERT H. LITTLE.

Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, LEON STRoIr.

